Psychological tests incorporating one or more puzzles representing recognizable objects or geometries are commonly utilized to measure the intelligence or to ascertain the personality traits of a test subject. Examples of these types of psychological tests include the Object Assembly Subtest of the Weschsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Weschsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and the Weschsler Preschool and Primary School Scale of Intelligence.
To administer a psychological test of this type, the test subject is presented with the puzzles sequentially and given a predetermined amount of time in which to work each puzzle. Typically, the test administrator manually arranges the puzzle pieces in a predetermined random arrangement on a work surface in front of the test subject. A shield is used by the administrator when arranging the puzzle pieces to prevent the test subject from viewing the pieces prior to administration of the test. Once the time period for completing the puzzle has expired, the administrator must remove and store the puzzle pieces before presenting the test subject with the next puzzle. The manual arrangement, removal, and storage of the puzzle pieces is both cumbersome and time consuming. Further, the resulting time delays and excessive movements by the test administrator can be distracting to the test subject and may adversely affect the subject's performance.
Additionally, to assure uniform testing, the test administrator is required to present each test subject with the puzzle pieces in substantially the same arrangement as the pieces are presented to other test subjects. Any variance in arranging the puzzle pieces among test subjects can affect the accuracy of the test results as one arrangement may take longer to complete than another. Under the conventional testing method, however, it is virtually impossible for the test administrator to manually arrange the puzzle pieces in exactly the same arrangement each time.
In seeking better methods to administer psychological tests, testing aids having cut-outs for the individual puzzle pieces have been proposed. One such example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,141 to Kirksey, which discloses a compartmentalized board for storing a single puzzle subtest. In the Kirksey patent, a board is disclosed having a front face that is picture framed by a raised peripheral border. Recessed within the border, there is provided a center layer having a plurality of cut-outs in the shape of puzzle pieces for storing the pieces of a single puzzle subtest. Between the center layer and the raised peripheral border is a slidable cover that restrains the puzzle pieces in the cut-outs.
To administer a test using the compartmentalized board, the examiner positions the board in front of the test subject with the raised peripheral border in contact with the work surface. The examiner releases the puzzle pieces by withdrawing the cover, thus allowing the puzzle pieces contained within the cut-outs to fall to, and eventually come to rest on the underlying table surface. The board is used as a shield to prevent the test subject from viewing the puzzle until the appropriate time. Once the test is completed, the administrator replaces the board over the puzzle pieces so that the pieces are retained within the raised peripheral border and then slides the board and the completed puzzle out of the way. To administer two or more puzzle subtests, the test administrator must utilize a board for each puzzle subtest. Also, since the test puzzles are not stored during the administration of the test, but instead are merely slid out of the way using the board as a retaining device, the administrator must have a work surface large enough to receive multiple boards lying adjacent to one another.
Thus, there remains a need for psychological testing aids that allow for the efficient arrangement, removal, and storage of psychological test puzzles. The testing aid must minimize distraction to the test subject and allow the examiner to arrange the puzzle pieces in the same predetermined random arrangement for each test.